The second and in my mind more potent form of racism is that of ignorance. The racism that doesn't recognize racial inequalities in terms of economic status, educational opportunities, or treatment in society. This attitude seems to say that as long as you don't say racist things, then racial problems will just go away.
I think that if George Allen's comments were not the racism of hatred, they surely were the racism of ignorance. Even if he made the name up on the spot (which is incredibly unlikely), giving a funny name to a brown kid in a white audience rubs the wrong way. The right may throw a fit and say we're being overly PC, but I don't think they see what's right in front of them.
Now, being a white kid from a fairly well off backgroud, I could never testify to being a victim of racism. But I can say that I saw it firsthand growing up in Prince Edward County. If anyone doubts the necessity of affirmative action or the lasting impact that segregation still holds on our nation, they need to take a trip to Prince Edward County.
For those of you unfamiliar, Prince Edward County engaged in 'massive resistance' to integration and shut down their schools for 5 years. The privilged white families started their own private academy, but poor whites and all blacks were denied their education for 5 years. When the schools finally integrated, many did not return because they felt they had missed too much education to make up. In effect, a generation had their education interrupted or even denied completely, which leaves a lasting impression on a community. When I attended in elementary school, nearly %50 of the students were on free lunch, and I can't imagine the number has changed that much.
To me, the racism of ignorance has plagued George Allen throughout his career. I think whether he is truly hateful is up for debate, but I don't think anyone can tell me that George Allen honestly understands the impact that race has on our society, and when you can't see the problems, the solutions are really tough to find.
The solution to America's lingering problems on race is not to elect Democrats. It's to elect leaders who understand the historical context of race and to not be ignorant of its consequences. If there was ever a leader who understood how racial tensions have poisoned our society and how to remedy them, it's Jim Webb.
It is very uncomfortable to contemplate that my Senator would promote inequality. Indeed, it is so uncomfortable that when we hear our elected representatives speak in those terms we are inclined to interpret or explain the statements in a way that avoids coming to such a horrible conclusion. One such explanation that has been in vogue in the last few years is that the politician is just stupid. A variation on that theme is the explanation that the politician “just doesn’t get it.â€
However, on reflection these explanations are not really plausible despite our very American defense mechanisms. Two facts expose these explanations as purely self-deception. One is the politician’s educational background. In Allen’s case, an undergraduate and a law degree from the University of Virginia contradict the excuse of stupidity. The second and most telling fact is that the words are spoken without shame.
Why would a United States Senator face a camera and spew racial slurs during a political rally? First, he would have to believe that demeaning someone on the basis of race should be acceptable; that inequality should be the norm. And second, he would have to be convinced that his elected office is secure and cannot be challenged by those he views as unequal to himself.
It’s time we Virginians face the facts and openly admit our own shame for not challenging Allen on his racism long ago.